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Dario Brizuela erupts: “The officiating was deliberately poor, FIBA must review the calls”
🇬🇷 Greece /Sports

Dario Brizuela erupts: “The officiating was deliberately poor, FIBA must review the calls”

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Spain guard Dario Brizuela criticized the officiating after Greece defeated Spain in an overtime game.
  • He urged FIBA to review disputed calls involving Antai Mara and Jaime Pradilla, and questioned why Spain could not sign the scoresheet.

Dario Brizuela’s anger after Spain’s overtime loss to Greece focused less on the result than on the referees’ handling of the game’s most disputed moments.

Losing is always bad, regardless of the circumstances, but today especially, after all the effort we had put in, it is even harder.

— Dario BrizuelaThe Spain guard described the difficulty of the overtime defeat.

The Spanish guard said the defeat felt especially difficult after the effort his team had invested. “Losing is always bad, regardless of the circumstances, but today especially, after all the effort we had put in, it is even harder,” he said.

Brizuela then directed his strongest criticism at the officiating crew. “We knew where we were, and the officiating was deliberately poor. This is FIBA, and it needs to investigate it,” he said. He argued that referees assigned to a game at Athens’ OAKA arena needed the professionalism to manage such a contest. He also said the officials could not properly explain their decisions when questioned afterward.

We knew where we were, and the officiating was deliberately poor. This is FIBA, and it needs to investigate it.

— Dario BrizuelaBrizuela criticized the referees and called for a FIBA review.

One incident involved Antai Mara. Brizuela said video shown in the arena indicated that Mara had touched the opponent’s shoulder, not his face, yet the play was reviewed and called an unsportsmanlike foul. He contrasted that with a later incident involving Jaime Pradilla, which he considered even clearer but said officials did not review. “It is disappointing, but this is the framework in which the game was played, and neither Greece nor we are to blame. FIBA is the one that needs to examine the plays,” he said.

It is disappointing, but this is the framework in which the game was played, and neither Greece nor we are to blame. FIBA is the one that needs to examine the plays.

— Dario BrizuelaHe discussed disputed unsportsmanlike-foul decisions.

Brizuela also questioned what happened after the final whistle, saying Spain’s players were not allowed to sign the scoresheet. Officials reportedly told them they had taken too long. “How much time do we have from the moment a game ends and the referees leave in a hurry?” he asked.

How much time do we have from the moment a game ends and the referees leave in a hurry?

— Dario BrizuelaHe questioned why Spain could not sign the scoresheet after the game.
About this summary

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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